Piano-action



(No Model.)

0. W. BREWER.

PIANO ACTION.

Patented Aug. 4, 1885.

. NITED STATES rrmm- Orrrcs CHARLES V. BREXVER, OF RACINE, IVISCONSIN.

PIANO-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,632, dated August 4, 1885.

(No model.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. BREWER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Racine, in the county of Racine and State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Forte Actions, of which the following is aspecifieation, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the pianissimo or soft-pedal attachments to pianofortes, and is designed objectively to produce a gradation of the soft effect, and to have the said gradation entirely under the control of the performer.

The usual mode of producing the piano effect is either by buffing the strings or shitting the bank of keys, which I do only in grand pianos, so that the hammers strike only one string, the latter being used on two and three string piano-fortes. This is open to certain objections, one of which is that the performer has no control on the said efiect other than producing the soft tone directly from the ordinary tone.

In the device hereinafter described the performer has full control, through the pedal, of this most pleasing effect. being enabled to produce the p'or pp, or any grade of the same, entirely with the pedal and not depend ing on the rather uncertain touch of the tingers.

It is plainly evident that the device permit ting such complete and simple control of the soft eifect is an advantage, not only to skilled performers, but also to those not so fortunate as to possess the delicacy of touch necessary to produce the liner effects on the ordinary piano-forte.

To more fully describe the device recourse and reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specitica tion, and in whieh Figure 1 represents a section taken so as to show one of the keys and its connections in side elevation and the soft-pedal attachment in section; and Fig. 2 represents aside elevation of the end of the attachment, showing the manner of connecting the key-lever and the hammer-lever so they may operate in unison. Fig. 3 shows a modification of the manner of restricting the play of the hammer.

A represents the base on which rests the action of the piano-forte, beari ng on its surface the bank of keys, one of which, 9,, is shown, it being of ordinary construction and pivoted and guided as usual. On the inner end of the key is the check O for preventing tne hammer rebounding. At the proper point on the key is the lever D, which engages with the hammer.

E represents a strip placed at right angles to the keys, and properly supported by the uprights F. On the uprights is secured a parallel strip, but somewhat lower down and toward the rear of the key, and which serves the purpose of supporting the adjustable button G, which engages with the lever and forces it out of the way, so that the hammer may fall to the check and there be retained till the key falls to its proper position. The strip E is designed to support the pivoted hammers H, which are operated by the keys through the levers D, and are adapted to strike the wires of the piano-forte.

On the uprights before mentioned are pivoted the strips I, the longer arm projecting rearward and the shorter arm slotted, as shown. These strips are connected from the ends of the longer arms by the strip K, 011 which are placed buffers L under each hammer. The uprights are also provided with buffers where the said strip comes in contact with them. The strips I are arranged near the top of the uprights, and below them and parallel to them are pivoted the strips M, with the two arms nearly or quite-equal, one of the said arms being provided with a slot to correspond to that in the arm of the strip I. These strips are somewhat longer than the strips I, and have their ends similarly connected by astrip which passes under the ends of the keys, as shown. The slotted ends of the strips are connected by the adjustable rods N, and the device is operated by the soft pedal being connected properly with the strip K by a rod running through the base A, or other convenient means.

The parts being all properly arranged and adjusted, the foot of the performer pressing the pedal will raise the strip K, with the strips I, and so raise the hammer and shorten the stroke or play of the same.

By the connecting-rods N the strips passing under the ends of the keys are raised, as is ICO evident, though not so much as the one under the hammers.

The raising of the rear of the keys restricts the length of their stroke, as will be readily seen.

The shortening of the length of the stroke of the keys and hammers tends to lessen the force with which the hammers come in contact with the strings, and thus,without abstracting from the volume by striking only one string or muflliug the sound by the use of buffers, the pianissimo effect is most truthfully and beautifully produced, and is in all its gradations and reflections entirely under the control of the performer. I

As before stated, it is necessary with the usual soft pedal to produce many of the effects by the delicacy of the touch of the fingers.

The device herein described produces a better effect than can many performers after years of practice; and, again, the usual pedal either mufiies the sound or diminishes its volume, while the device described allows the full clearness and volume of tone to be used, but with diminished loudness, and the said diminishing can be regulated as the performer wills. The diminuendo and crescendo effects are very successfully produced by the device, as will be evident.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 is a de vice for raising the rear of the key to restrict its play, and in its operation is preferable to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It consists of a hinged strip extending under the rear of the bank of keys. Under this strip are placed springs that have a tendency to continually press the strip upward. It is operated in con:

nection with the piece restricting the play of the hammers by the treadle, and by being spring-actuated quickly responds to the will of the performer.

danger of warping.

The hinging prevents all It being old to provide means in a piano to raise the hammers toward the strings, and also to elevate the rear ends of'the keys to restrict their play for producing the pianissimo effect, the novelty of this invention does not cover, broadly, such construction, but is confined to adjustable stops or strips with or without spring actuation.

Having thus described the device, what I claim is 1. In a musical instrument, one or more or a series of hammers restricted in their stroke by an adjustable stop, in combination with one or more or a series of keys restricted in their play by an adjustable stop, the stops for the keys and the stops for the hammers being adj ustably connected, one relative to the other,

substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a musical instrument. one or more or a series of keys restricted in their play by means of an adjustable stop consisting of a strip engaging under one end of said keys and pivotally supported, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a musical instrument, a soft or piano attachment therefor consisting of a strip having pivotal supports, and engaging under one end of the keys to restrict their play, and a strip pivotally supported engaging with and carrying the hammers nearer the strings, the pivotal support-s being adj ustably and relatively connected and operated, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I ai'iix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

0H ARLES \V. BREWER.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY T. FULLER, PERCIVAL S. FULLER. 

